What is Herbal Medicine?

Herbal Medicine is the most ancient system of medicine, still used extensively today. It is medicine made exclusively from plants and plant products

The World health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 80% of the world's population uses Herbal Medicine as their primary form of treatment and therefore supports its use.

The Herbalist's philosophy is that humans, like plants, are biologically complex. This means that to achieve a long lasting medicinal benefit with few or no side effects, a plant with its complex active principles will be utilised by the body more easily than a single isolated drug.

Although Herbal Medicine is the oldest system of medicine, it also has a valid scientific basis for its effectiveness. Herbal Medicine acknowledges and seeks to understand the active chemistry of the plant, however the basic philosophy of Herbal Medicine is that these plant chemicals should be used in their crude, most natural form.

There is an enormous body of modern scientific data on medicinal plants to support the use of Herbal Medicine as an effective medicine, either as an alternative or to complement pharmaceutical drugs.

Many drugs derive their active chemicals from herbs and modern medicine has obtained many of its drugs from the plant world. The active chemical in a plant is isolated and refined to yield a drug, which is then administered. An example of this is Aspirin, which was originally isolated and refined from the white willow (Salix species).

What is a Herbalist?

A Medical Herbalist is a trained health care practitioner who has knowledge in both plant medicines and in human health and disease. They will advise and give information on diet and lifestyle as an inportant part of any treatment regime, and will refer on to other health care providers where necessary.

A major aspect of the philosophy of Herbal Medicine is of the person as a whole, rather than treating only symptoms. The Herbalist seeks to treat the underlying cause of the disease or ill health. Fundamental to Herbal Medicine is the belief that the body has an innate ability to heal itself, therefore treatment should enhance this quality.

A recognised Medical Herbalist should be a member of a professional association

The National Herbalists Accociation of Australia (NHAA) is the oldest association in Australia representing Herbalists.

Full Practitioner Members of the NHAA are trained to practice Herbal Medicine, are insured, abide by a rigorous Code of Ethics, are subject to disciplinary procedures and outgoing professional education, and are recognised by most Health Funds.

Practitioner members of the NHAA have studied and passed examinations in the following subjects:

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